Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
CautionChance of thunderstorms near Hattiesburg around 1:30 PM CDT. Also at 1 other checkpoint.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers65°F I-65 southwest of Lewisburg7:45 AM CDT Chance of rain showers65°F Tennessee–Alabama line8:15 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers69°F Decatur8:45 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers71°F Birmingham10 AM CDT Cloudy74°F Tuscaloosa10:45 AM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers80°F Meridian12 PM CDT Partly sunny84°F Hattiesburg1:30 PM CDT Chance of thunderstorms84°F New Orleans3:15 PM CDT Chance of thunderstorms82°F - SunOct 4
CautionRain showers near Birmingham around 10 AM CDT. Also at 2 other checkpoints.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Chance of light rain showers66°F I-65 southwest of Lewisburg7:45 AM CDT Rain showers likely65°F Tennessee–Alabama line8:15 AM CDT Light rain showers likely68°F Decatur8:45 AM CDT Light rain showers likely70°F Birmingham10 AM CDT Rain showers71°F Tuscaloosa10:45 AM CDT Rain showers75°F Meridian12 PM CDT Rain showers likely76°F Hattiesburg1:30 PM CDT Chance of thunderstorms77°F New Orleans3:15 PM CDT Chance of thunderstorms82°F - MonOct 5
CautionChance of thunderstorms near New Orleans around 3:15 PM CDT.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Mostly sunny56°F I-65 southwest of Lewisburg7:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny55°F Tennessee–Alabama line8:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny61°F Decatur8:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny64°F Birmingham10 AM CDT Mostly cloudy70°F Tuscaloosa10:45 AM CDT Partly sunny75°F Meridian12 PM CDT Partly sunny77°F Hattiesburg1:30 PM CDT Mostly cloudy80°F New Orleans3:15 PM CDT Chance of thunderstorms82°F - TueOct 6
CautionChance of thunderstorms near New Orleans around 3:15 PM CDT.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Sunny51°F I-65 southwest of Lewisburg7:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny49°F Tennessee–Alabama line8:15 AM CDT Mostly sunny56°F Decatur8:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny59°F Birmingham10 AM CDT Mostly sunny66°F Tuscaloosa10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny73°F Meridian12 PM CDT Mostly sunny78°F Hattiesburg1:30 PM CDT Partly sunny81°F New Orleans3:15 PM CDT Chance of thunderstorms82°F - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 51–81°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Mostly sunny52°F I-65 southwest of Lewisburg7:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny51°F Tennessee–Alabama line8:15 AM CDT Sunny56°F Decatur8:45 AM CDT Sunny59°F Birmingham10 AM CDT Mostly sunny62°F Tuscaloosa10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny69°F Meridian12 PM CDT Mostly sunny76°F Hattiesburg1:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny80°F New Orleans3:15 PM CDT Partly sunny81°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 49–81°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Sunny53°F I-65 southwest of Lewisburg7:45 AM CDT Sunny49°F Tennessee–Alabama line8:15 AM CDT Sunny55°F Decatur8:45 AM CDT Sunny58°F Birmingham10 AM CDT Sunny63°F Tuscaloosa10:45 AM CDT Sunny70°F Meridian12 PM CDT Sunny79°F Hattiesburg1:30 PM CDT Mostly sunny81°F New Orleans3:15 PM CDT Partly sunny81°F - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 50–82°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Nashville7 AM CDT Sunny54°F I-65 southwest of Lewisburg7:45 AM CDT Sunny50°F Tennessee–Alabama line8:15 AM CDT Sunny57°F Decatur8:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny59°F Birmingham10 AM CDT Mostly sunny64°F Tuscaloosa10:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny73°F Meridian12 PM CDT Partly sunny80°F Hattiesburg1:30 PM CDT Slight chance of light rain showers82°F New Orleans3:15 PM CDT Chance of light rain showers82°F
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Nashville (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Nashville, TNStart 419 ftelevation
- I-65 southwest of Lewisburg, TNMile 55 · 51 min 1,125 ftelevation
- Tennessee–Alabama lineState line · Mile 84 · 1 h 17 min 711 ftelevation
- Decatur, ALMile 113 · 1 h 44 min 571 ftelevation
- Birmingham, ALMile 190 · 2 h 53 min 610 ftelevation
- Tuscaloosa, ALMile 243 · 3 h 43 min 228 ftelevation
- Meridian, MSMile 333 · 5 h 5 min 340 ftelevation
- Hattiesburg, MSMile 420 · 6 h 25 min 164 ftelevation
- New Orleans, LAMile 531 · 8 h 10 min 11 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Nashville, Birmingham and New Orleans.
| Month | Nashville 600 ft | Birmingham 615 ft | New Orleans New Orleans Airport station · 4 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 49° / 30° | 0.5 | 55° / 35° | 0.2 | 63° / 46° | 0 |
| Feb | 54° / 33° | 0.5 | 59° / 38° | 0.1 | 66° / 50° | 0 |
| Mar | 63° / 40° | 0.3 | 67° / 45° | 0.1 | 72° / 55° | 0 |
| Apr | 73° / 49° | 0 | 75° / 52° | 0 | 79° / 62° | 0 |
| May | 80° / 58° | 0 | 82° / 61° | 0 | 85° / 69° | 0 |
| Jun | 88° / 66° | 0 | 88° / 69° | 0 | 90° / 75° | 0 |
| Jul | 91° / 71° | 0 | 91° / 72° | 0 | 91° / 77° | 0 |
| Aug | 90° / 69° | 0 | 91° / 71° | 0 | 91° / 77° | 0 |
| Sep | 84° / 62° | 0 | 86° / 65° | 0 | 88° / 74° | 0 |
| Oct | 74° / 50° | 0 | 76° / 54° | 0 | 81° / 64° | 0 |
| Nov | 61° / 39° | 0 | 65° / 43° | 0 | 71° / 54° | 0 |
| Dec | 52° / 33° | 0.1 | 57° / 38° | 0.1 | 65° / 48° | 0 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: NASHVILLE INTL AP (USW00013897, 600 ft); BIRMINGHAM AP (USW00013876, 615 ft); NEW ORLEANS INTL AP (USW00012916, 4 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana rather than repeat them.
- Tennessee · TDOTSmartWay road conditions
- Alabama · ALDOTALGO Traffic road conditions
- Mississippi · MDOTMDOTtraffic road conditions
- Louisiana · DOTD511LA road conditions
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Nashville to New Orleans with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Nashville to New Orleans?
531 miles, about 8 hours of driving without stops, by way of I-65, I-20 and I-59. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
On I-65 southwest of Lewisburg, at 1,125 ft. It comes at mile 55, about 51 min of driving after you leave Nashville.
How cold is New Orleans in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, New Orleans Airport (4 ft), averages a high of 63°F and a low of 46°F in January (1991–2020 normals).